# US 2019/0172992 A1 · Active material and electric power generator containing it

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- Number: US 2019/0172992 A1
- Document ID: US20190172992A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/324,816
- Filed: 2017-08-07
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-10
- Assignees: Termo-Ind S.A.
- Applicants: Termo-Ind S.A.
- Inventors: Luca MAGAGNIN; Simona IEFFA; Alessandra ACCOGLI; Gabriele PANZERI; Francesco LIBERALE; Vincenzo TIRELLA; Luca SUCCA; Simone BRUNETTI
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190172992A1

## CPC

- H10N 10/855: comprising compounds containing boron, carbon, oxygen or nitrogen
- H10N 10/01: Manufacture or treatment
- H10N 10/81: Structural details of the junction
- H10N 10/8556: {comprising compounds containing germanium or silicon}
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

The invention relates to an active material comprising at least one oxygen containing compound selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl2, ZrO2, SiO2, Bi2O3, Al2O3 and TiO2, at least one thickener additive selected from the group consisting of agar agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose, and arabic gum, and at least one plasticizer additive, wherein the particle size of the at least one oxygen-based compound has an average diameter in the range from 10 nm to 40 μm. The invention concerns also an electric power generator (EPG) comprising at least a first electrode (11) and a second electrode (12), wherein the electric power generator comprises the active material between said electrodes (11,12).

## Claims

### Claim 1

An active material comprising at least one oxygen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl2, ZrO2, SiO2, Bi2O3, Al2O3 and TiO2, at least one thickener additive selected from the group consisting of agar agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose, and arabic gum, and at least one plasticizer additive, wherein the particle size of the at least one oxygen-based compound has an average diameter in the range from 10 nm to 40 μm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The active material of claim 1, wherein the at least one oxygen-containing compound has particle average diameter in the range of 15 nm-10 μm, preferably 20 nm-5 μm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The active material of claim 2, wherein the at least one oxygen-containing compound has particle average diameter in the range from 10 to 200 nm, preferably in the range of 15-100 nm, more preferably 20-40 nm.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The active material of claim 1, wherein the at least one oxygen-containing compound is MgO, in the range from 3% and 17%, preferably 10% with respect to the total weight of the active material.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The active material of claim 1, wherein the at least one oxygen-containing compound is ZnO or ZrO2.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The active material of claim 5, wherein the at least one oxygen-containing compound is in the range from 0.7% and 10%, preferably 3.7% with respect to the total weight of the active material.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The active material of claim 1, wherein the at least one thickener additive is selected from the group consisting of agar agar, xanthan gum, and methylcellulose.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The active material of claim 7, wherein the at least one thickener additive is in the range from 0.19% and 6.5%, preferably 0.84% with respect to the total weight of the active material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The active material of claim 1, wherein the at least one plasticizer additive is selected from the group consisting of silicone, siloxanes, carnauba wax, Naphtalene, PVDF, Parylene, PTFE, FEP and PDMS.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The active material of claim 1, wherein the active material comprises silicone in an amount in the range from 5% to 40%, preferably 12.5% and 37.5%, more preferably 33.3% with respect to the total weight of the active material.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The active material of claim 1, wherein it comprises MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl2, agar agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose and silicone.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A process for preparing the active material of claim 1, comprising the following steps:
a) preparing a solution with a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, ethylene glycol, glycerin, dimethyl sulfoxide and relative mixtures of at least one oxygen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl2, ZrO2, SiO2, Bi2O3, Al2O3 and TiO2;
b) heating the solution of step a) at a temperature in the range from 75 to 90° C.;
c) adding at least one thickener additive selected from the group consisting of agar agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose and arabic gum, thus obtaining a homogeneous solution;
d) cooling down the homogenous solution of step c) to a temperature in the range from 30° C. to 15° C. allowing gelation, thus obtaining a gelled material;
e) adding at least one plasticizer to the gelled material, thus obtaining the active material, wherein the particle size of the at least one oxygen-based compound has an average diameter in the range from 10 nm to 40 μm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A process for preparing the active material of claim 1, comprising the following steps:
i) preparing a first solution with a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, ethylene glycol, glycerin, dimethyl sulfoxide and relative mixtures of at least one oxygen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of MgO, ZnO, ZrOCl2, ZrO2, SiO2, Bi2O3, Al2O3 and TiO2;
ii) heating the first solution of step i) at a temperature in the range from 90 to 110° C.;
iii) cooling down the homogenous solution of step ii) to a temperature in the range from 50° C. to 30° C.;
iv) preparing a second solution with a solvent selected from the group consisting of water, ethylene glycol, glycerin, dimethyl sulfoxide and relative mixtures of at least one thickener additive selected from the group consisting of agar agar, xanthan gum, methylcellulose, and arabic gum
v) heating the second solution of step iv) at a temperature in the range from 90 to 120° C.;
vi) mixing the first solution at 45° C. with the solution at step v);
vii) cooling down the homogenous solution of step vi) to a temperature in the range from 30° C. to 20° C. and subjecting it to cooling cycles from ambient temperature to −18° C.;
viii) adding at least one plasticizer additive to the solution of step vii), thus obtaining an homogenous material solution;
ix) optionally removing the solvent, and obtaining the active material,
wherein the particle size of the at least one oxygen-based compound has an average diameter in the range from 10 nm to 40 μm.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

An electric power generator (EPG) comprising at least a first electrode (11) and a second electrode (12), wherein the electric power generator comprises an active material of claim 1 between said electrodes (11,12).

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The electric power generator (EPG) of claim 14, wherein said electrodes are made of the different materials.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The electric power generator (EPG) of claim 14, wherein said electrodes are made of the same material.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The electric power generator (EPG) of claim 15, wherein said first electrode (11) is made of copper and wherein said second electrode is made of aluminum.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The electric power generator (EPG) of claim 16, wherein said electrodes are made of copper.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The electric power generator (EPG) of claim 14, wherein said electrodes are made of a material selected in a group consisting of metals, alloys and carbon based materials.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

A power generator module (PGM) characterized in that it comprises a plurality of electric power generators (EPGs) of claim 14, wherein said generators are connected in parallel or in series.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

A power generator module (PGM) of claim 20, wherein when said EPGs are connected in series, the electrodes of different EPGs are electrically connected by a conductive wire.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

A power generator module (PGM) of claim 20, wherein when said EPGs are connected in series, the EPGs are piled up so that the surface of an electrode of a first EPG is in contact with a surface of a second EPG.

### Claim 23

(canceled)

### Claim 24

(canceled)

### Claim 25 (depends on 14)

An electric circuit (EC) comprising an EPG of claim 14, wherein said circuit (EC) also comprises, a capacitor (C), a resistor (RL) and a switch (SW) and wherein:
in a first switching state, said switch (SW) connects said capacitor (C) in series with said EPG; and
in a second switching state, said switch (SW) connects said capacitor (C) in series with said resistor (RL).

### Claim 26 (depends on 20)

An electric circuit (EC) comprising an PGM of claim 20, wherein said circuit (EC) also comprises, a capacitor (C), a resistor (RL) and a switch (SW) and wherein:
in a first switching state, said switch (SW) connects said capacitor (C) in series with said PGM; and
in a second switching state, said switch (SW) connects said capacitor (C) in series with said resistor (RL).

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

A method for producing capacitors comprising the step of using the active material of claim 1.

### Claim 28 (depends on 1)

A method for preparing a dielectric material comprising the use of the active material of claim 1.